Chrysanthemum plant

ABSTRACT

A chrysanthemum cultivar particularly characterized as to uniqueness by the combined characteristics of flat capitulum form; daisy capitulum type; dark lavender pink ray floret color; diameter across face of capitulum ranging from 70 to 90 mm. at maturity; uniform nine week photoperiodic flowering response to short days; tall plant height when grown as a single stem cut spray; medium peduncle length, and minimal pollen production.

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum morifolium, Ramat., hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name Charisma.

Charisma is a product of a planned breeding program which had the objective of creating new chrysanthemum cultivars with daisy capitulum type, with lavender pink ray floret color, with eight or nine week flowering response, and with the ability to produce commercially acceptable quality in year round cut mum programs. Such traits in combination were not present in previously available commercial cultivars.

Charisma was originated from a cross made in a controlled breeding program in Barberton, Ohio in 1974. The female parent was #72245089 (unnamed seedling), a bronze daisy originated by the present inventors from a cross between Dramatic, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 3,189, and Crackerjack (unpatented; commercially available). The male parent of Charisma was Camino Pink, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 4,286, a lavender pink daisy. Dramatic, Crackerjack, and Camino Pink are all products of the breeding program of the present inventors.

Charisma was discovered and selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross by Walter H. Jessel, Jr. and William E. Duffett on Nov. 19, 1975 in a controlled environment in Barberton, Ohio.

The first act of asexual reproduction of Charisma was accomplished when vegetative cuttings were taken from the initial selection in February, 1976 in a controlled environment in Barberton, Ohio, by a technician working under formulations established and supervised by Walter H. Jessel, Jr. and William E. Duffett. Horticultural examination of selected units initiated Sept. 17, 1976 has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for Charisma are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.

Charisma has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, and day length. The following observations, measurements, and comparisons describe plants grown in Barberton, Ohio and Salinas, Calif. under greenhouse conditions which approximate those generally used in commercial practice.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be basic characteristics of Charisma which in combination distinguish this chrysanthemum as a new and distinct cultivar:

(1) Flat capitulum form.

(2) Daisy capitulum type.

(3) Dark lavender pink ray floret color.

(4) Yellow-green (immature) to yellow (mature) disc floret color.

(5) Diameter across face of capitulum ranging from 70 to 90 mm. at maturity.

(6) Uniform nine week photoperiodic flowering response to short days.

(7) Tall plant height (70 to 75 cm. for May through November flowerings from a rooted cutting planted to short days).

(8) Medium peduncle length (85 to 110 mm. for May through November flowerings from a rooted cutting planted to short days).

(9) Minimal pollen production.

The accompanying photographic drawings show typical inflorescence and foliage characteristics of Charisma, with colors being as nearly true as possible with illustrations of this type. Sheet 1 is a color photograph of Charisma as a cut spray. Sheet 2 is a black and white photograph showing three views of the capitulum of Charisma. Sheet 3 is a black and white photograph showing the foliage of Charisma at three stages of growth.

Of the many commercial cultivars known to the present inventors, the most similar existing cultivars in comparison to Charisma are Blue Marble (unpatented; commercially available) and the parental cultivar Camino Pink. Reference is made to attached Chart A which compares certain characteristics of Charisma to those same characteristics of Blue Marble and Camino Pink. General comparisions are as follows:

(1) In comparison to Blue Marble, Charisma has darker ray floret color, larger diameter across face of capitulum, taller plant height, and shorter peduncle length. The capitulum form, capitulum type, and flowering response period of Charisma are similar to those same characteristics of Blue Marble.

(2) In comparison to Camino Pink, Charisma has darker ray floret color, larger diameter across face of capitulum and taller plant height. The capitulum form, capitulum type, flowering response period, and peduncle length of Charisma are similar to those same characteristics of Camino Pink.

In the following description, color references are made to the Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart. The color values were determined between 1:30 and 2:00 p.m. on Nov. 7, 1978 under 100 foot-candle light intensity at Salinas, Calif.

Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum morifolium, Ramat., cv Charisma.

INFLORESCENCE

A. Capitulum: (see Sheets 1 and 2 of drawings).

Form.--Flat.

Type.--Daisy.

Diameter across face.--70 to 90 mm.

B. Corolla of ray florets:

Persistence.--Resists shatter.

Color (general tonality).--Dark lavender pink, 74-C streaked over 76-D.

Color (abaxial).--74-B to 74-C oxidizing rapidly to 74-C streaked over 75-C.

Color (adaxial).--74-C streaked lightly over 75-C to 75-D.

C. Reproductive organs:

Androecium.--Present disc florets only; scant to numerous; scant pollen.

Gynoecium.--Present both ray and disc florets.

D. Corolla of disc florets:

Color (immature).--144-A.

Color (mature).--15-A.

E. Peduncle:

Length.--Medium, ranging from 85 to 110 mm. for a rooted cutting planted to short days for May through November flowerings.

Color.--Approximately 137-B overlaid with white.

PLANT

A. General appearance:

Branching pattern.--Semi-upright.

Height.--Tall, ranging from 70 to 75 cm. from a rooted cutting planted to short days for May through November flowerings.

B. Foliage: (See Sheets 1 and 3).

Color (abaxial).--Approximately 137-A to 137-B.

Color (adaxial).--Approximately 137-B overlaid with white.

                  CHART A                                                          ______________________________________                                         COMPARISON OF CHARISMA, BLUE MARBLE AND                                        CAMINO PINK                                                                                          Dia-                                                                   Capit-  meter        Flow-                                                     ulum    across       ering                                             Ray     form    face of      re-                                         Culti-                                                                               floret  and     Capit-                                                                               Plant  sponse                                                                               Peduncle                              var   color   type    ulum  height period                                                                               length                                ______________________________________                                         Charis-                                                                              Dark    Flat    70 to Tall, 70                                                                              9 week                                                                               Medium,                               ma    laven-  daisy   90 mm.                                                                               to 75 cm.    from 85 to                                  der                                110 mm.                                     pink                                                                           Laven-                                                                   Blue  der     Flat    60 to Medium,                                                                               9 week                                                                               Long, from                            Marble                                                                               pink    daisy   85 mm.                                                                               60 to 65     150 to 200                                                        cm.          mm.                                         Laven-                                                                   Cami- der     Flat    60 to Medium,                                                                               9 week                                                                               Medium,                               no                                                                             Pink  pink    daisy   80 mm.                                                                               60 to 65     from 80 to                                                        cm.          95 mm.                                ______________________________________                                          COMPARISONS MADE OF PLANTS GROWN AS SINGLE STEM CUT SPRAYS IN BARBERTON,       OHIO AND IN SALINAS, CALIFORNIA.                                          

We claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum morifolium, Ramat., plant as shown and described, known by the cultivar name Charisma and particularly characterized as to uniqueness by the combined characteristics of flat capitulum form; daisy capitulum type; dark lavender pink ray floret color; diameter across face of capitulum ranging from 70 to 90 mm. at maturity; uniform nine week photoperiodic flowering response to short days; tall plant height when grown as a single stem cut spray; medium penduncle length and minimal pollen production. 